(Psalm 33: 11-12) “But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He chooses for His inheritance.”
Two more major prophecies
In our last study we looked at two of four major prophecies yet to be fulfilled where Israel is concerned. The first prophecy dealt with a spiritual revival in Israel, a revival the same as Pentecost and that would see multitudes swept into the kingdom of God and that “all who call on the name of the LORD will be saved!.” The Day of Pentecost was the harbinger and like that which would happen again at the end of this age. The second major prophecy concerned the final invasion of Israel by the armies of the Antichrist and their demise at the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. In this last study we will look at the other two major prophecies concerning Israel that are yet to be fulfilled.
1. The Jewish people as a nation will recognize their Messiah at His Second Coming.
In the last study we touched on the fact that Israel would recognize the Lord Jesus as their Messiah, saviour and Lord and weep bitterly for Him. The Word of the LORD came through the prophet Zechariah; “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son. On that day the weeping in Jerusalem will be great, like the weeping of Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. The land will mourn, each clan by itself, with their wives by themselves: the clan of the house of David and their wives, the clan of the house of Nathan and their wives, the clan of the house of Levi and their wives, the clan of Shimei and their wives, and all the rest of the clans and their wives. “On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity. On that day, I will banish the names of the idols from the land, and they will be remembered no more,” declares the LORD Almighty. “I will remove both the prophets and the spirit of impurity from the land.” (Zechariah 12: 10-14 13:1-2)
Devastation then deliverance
After the devastation of Jerusalem wrought by the Antichrist when the armies of all the nations have come against Jerusalem the Jewish people who have survived that holocaust at the hands of the Antichrist will be so exhausted that they will hardly have any strength to resist their oppressors. At that time strong men will be holding their stomachs with fear like women in labour pains. Their destruction as a people and nation will be imminent. Every nation on earth will have deserted them and the ones they trusted in will have betrayed them. They will be so exhausted as a nation that they will not even have the strength to repent. They will be so desperate for deliverance that they will look to the God of their Forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and to the Messiah, our Lord Jesus, to deliver them. When all human strength, pride and hope have gone from them Jesus will return in great power and splendour to destroy those armies gathered against His brethren. At this time every Israeli alive will see Him whom they pierced and will weep and mourn over their long lost brother who had been crucified for them. The Lord Jesus Himself will be weeping with joy at His final reconciliation with His wayward brothers and sisters. At this time the Israelites will once more sing the victory song of Moses as they see Antichrist and his armies fall on the mountains of Jerusalem destroyed by fire out of heaven. On that day Israel will be exulted above the nations and the Millennial Kingdom of the Messiah will commence with The Lord Jesus reigning from Jerusalem.
A rod of iron
In that day all of the nations that have survived the Second Coming of Christ will be subject to Him who will rule over them with a rod of Iron. Faithful believers who have overcome the world, the flesh and the devil will co-reign with the Lord Jesus and will also rule the nations with a rod of Iron. (Revelation 2:26-27) In those days every nation that has survived the Great Tribulation will have to submit to the authority of Jesus and those nations who resist will suffer the consequences. This is also recorded in the prophet Zechariah. (Zechariah 14:16-21)
Sons of the Living God
Today the eyes of the whole world are focused on Jerusalem and Israel as the super powers strive for mastery and the Arab and Muslim nations strive for the destruction of the Jewish state. Israel is a nation once again and the very place from where they had been scattered over 2000 years ago is the same place today where they have been gathered again. In deed the prophet Hosea said; “Yet the Israelites will be like the sand on the seashore, which cannot be measured or counted. In the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’” (Hosea 1:10) In the New Testament the apostle Paul applied this promise to those who would believe out of the Gentile nations. These were the wild uncultivated branches (saved Gentiles) that had replaced the natural branches (Jews) broken off through unbelief. Gentile believers are grafted into the cultivated Olive Tree (Israel) among the natural branches (believing Jews) that have not been broken off through unbelief. Having said this does not do away with the fact that a surviving remnant in Israel will be saved at the very last. Every born again believer is called a son of God and of course this includes women as well. Paul tells us that we are all sons of God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. (Galatians 3:26) When the surviving remnant in Israel see the one who was pierced and crucified for them every living Jew in Israel will turn back to God. After this Israel will be delivered from all of their enemies and from the hands of all who hate them.
2. All Israel will be Saved!
(Romans 11:25-27) “I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The deliverer will come from Zion; He will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”
God has not finished with His people Israel as many in the Church are telling us today. For over 2000 years the Lord has permitted a veil over their hearts to prevent them from seeing their Messiah but now He is removing the veil. Today multitudes of Jewish people all around the world are coming to faith in their Messiah. Even in Israel many Israelis are coming to place their faith in Jesus as their Lord and Saviour and as their true Messiah! More than ever it is important that Israelis hear the good news about Jesus their Messiah their “Passover Lamb” who has been sacrificed to atone for their sins. In the last days just before Jesus comes back the Jewish people will have only one other group of people that will support them and that group will be born again Gentile believers who understand God’s purposes for Israel. As “The Time of Jacob’s Trouble” draws near for Israel and ultimately the whole world, the support of Jewish missions and evangelism must be the first priority of the Church. The apostle Paul understood God’s order for global evangelism. As he writes; “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.” (Romans 1:16)
The head and not the tail
The nation of Israel is yet to face their darkest hour but God Himself will deliver a faithful remnant through the fire that, in His foreknowledge, are destined to co-reign on earth with their Messiah and with His Body the faithful Church. In that day the Word of God will go forth into the nations that have survived the Great Tribulation. Israel will indeed be a light to enlighten the Gentiles and the source of that light will be the Lord Jesus Christ. The prophet Isaiah wrote; “The word which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. Now it will come about that in the last days, The Mountain of the house of the Lord Will be established as the chief of the mountains, And will be raised above the hills; And all the nations will stream to it. And many peoples will come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; That He may teach us concerning His ways, And that we may walk in His paths.’ For the law (Torah) will go forth from Zion, And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And He will judge between the nations, And will render decisions for many peoples; And they will hammer their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, And never again will they learn war. Come, house of Jacob, and let us walk in the light of the Lord.” (Isaiah 2:1-5).
The city of truth and righteousness
We also read in the prophet Zechariah; “Then the word of the Lord of hosts came, saying, “Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘I am exceedingly jealous for Zion, yes, with great wrath I am jealous for her.’ Thus says the Lord, ‘I will return to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the Lord of hosts will be called the Holy Mountain.’ Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘Old men and old women will again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each man with his staff in his hand because of age. And the streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls playing in its streets.’ Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘If it is too difficult in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, will it also be too difficult in My sight?’ declares the Lord of hosts. Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘Behold, I am going to save My people from the land of the east and from the land of the west; and I will bring them back and they will live in the midst of Jerusalem; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God in truth and righteousness’… So many peoples and mighty nations will come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favour of the Lord.’ Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘In those days ten men from all nations will grasp the garment of a Jew, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.” (Zechariah 8:1-8, 22)
